September 2021
The Foreign Service Journal covers foreign affairs from an insider’s perspective, providing thought-provoking articles on international issues, the practice of diplomacy and the U.S. Foreign Service. Including the AFSA News section, The Journal is published monthly (January-February and July-August issues combined) by the American Foreign Service Association.
The September issue focuses on 9/11, twenty years later.
We always welcome short, focused letters about FSJ content; please send them to journal@afsa.org.
FOCUS: 9/11, TWENTY YEARS LATER
Getting Off the X
In a compelling personal account of the 9/11 attacks, one FSO offers tactics for surviving when catastrophe strikes.
The Global War on Terror and Diplomatic Practice
The war on terror fundamentally changed U.S. diplomacy, leaving a trail of collateral damage to America’s readiness for future challenges.
America and 9/11: The Real-World Impact of Terrorism and Extremism
In retrospect, 9/11 did not foreshadow the major changes that now drive U.S. foreign policy and national security strategy.
The Proper Measure of the Place: Reflections on the Afghan Mission
Drawing from two tours, a decade apart, a veteran diplomat explores the competing visions for Afghanistan.
Intervention: Unlearned Lessons, or the Gripes of a Professional
The State Department’s failure to effectively staff and run interventions has a long history. Four critical lessons can be drawn from the post-9/11 experience.
FS KNOW-HOW
Whistleblower Protections: A Nonpartisan Necessity
As old as the United States itself, whistleblowing has protections worth knowing about.
FS HERITAGE
Diplomats Make a Difference: The U.S. and Mongolia, 1986-1990
In the 1992 FSJ, Ambassador Joe Lake describes setting up the U.S. embassy in Ulaanbaatar. Today he and his son explore how that relationship was built.